Aeroplane



5. SESSQN A-EROPLAN E Filed Sept. 15, 1927 4 Shams-Sheet Zlwuemtozg S 81 615 0N AEROPLANE Filed Sept. 15, 1927 4 Sheeis-Sheet 2 Bee, 3, 1929. s. SISSON 51,737.95!

AEROPLANE Filed Sept. 15, 1927 4 Sheet$-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 3 1929 UNITED STATES STRAWTHEB SISSON, OF HAZEL, KENTUCKY annornnnn Application filed September 15, 1927. Serial No. 219,692.

This invention relates to aeroplanes,the primary object being to provide means whereby,

in the event of a nose dive or any other descent due to loss of control, certain parts can be released automatically to shift the tail portion of the fuselage to position substantially at right angles to the forward portion where it will be locked automatically and act to maintain the forward portion substantially level during the descent.

A further object is to combine with the plane or planes of the machine, supplemental safety planes which are normally folded so as to be supported compactly above the ordinary plane, these safety planes, however, being released automatically and locked in extended positions when the tail portion of the fuselage isreleased, thereby presenting an extended surface acting as a parachute for retarding the descent of the machine.

Another obj ect is to provide a means under the control of the pilot whereby release of the tail portion can be prevented during stunt flying as long as the machine is under control.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what .is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the aeroplane. Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view partly. in side elevation and partly in section of the forward portion of the aeroplane, the section being taken on line.3-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4 -4, Figure 3,

said section being taken through the joints between the forward and tail portions of the fuselage.

Figure 5 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the front portion and part of the tail portion of the aeroplane, the parts being in thepositions assumed thereby when released for the purpose of bringing the aeroplane out of a nose dive and to a position where it can land without an injurious crash.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the mechanism for lockingthe supplemental or safety wings in normal or folded position.

Figure is a section through a portion of the main plane and supplemental plane there above, showing the arrangement of the fabric relative to the frames of said planes.

Figure 8 is a erspective view showing in detail the pendu um and the mechanism controlled thereby.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the forward portion of the fuselage of an aeroplane, said portion containing the cock pit 2 and also having connectedto it the planes 3. The rear or tail portion 4 of the fuselage is connected to'the front portion by means of side hinges 5 having a common pintle 6 in the form of a rod extending transversely of the fuselage. v Mounted on thisrod is a strong coiled spring 6 one end of which is attached to the tail portion 4 while the other end is attached to the front portion 1. This spring is constantly under tension andis of sufficient strength to swing the tail portion 4 relative to the front portion 1 against one or more stop brackets 7 fixedly connected to the front portion 1 and extending upwardly therefrom back of the cock pit. Under normal flying.conditions, however, the tail portion 4 is extended backwardly from the front portion 1 where it is held by a latch lever 8 the head 9 of which engages a lug 10 back of the cock pit and on the bottom of the fuselage. A spring 11 engages the latch lever 8 and serves to hold the head 9 yieldingly in engagement with the lug 10.

For the purpose of holding the tail portion 4 against the stop 7 after it has been released to such a position there are provided one or more curved arcuate rods 12 pivotally connected to the outer sides of the back end of the front portion 1 as shown at 13 and slid able within brackets 14 attached to the outer sides of the tail portion. Each of these rods is provided, near its rear end, with a lug 15 and when the tail portion 4 is swung to position against the stop 7 the lug or lugs 15 will snap into engagement with the bracket or brackets 14 and thereby hold the tail portion against stop 7.as shown for example in F i re 5.

ixedly connected to and extending upwardly from the top plane 3 are front and rear hinge members 16 and 17 arranged in pairs. To the rear members 17 are connected hinge members 18"extending from the frame 19 ofa rear supplemental or emergency plane 20. This frame is so shaped that when extended rearwardly from the plane 3, it will be in a position to straddle the tail portion 4 of the fuselage as shown in Figure 5.- Springs 21 are connected to the members 17 and 18 and are so arranged as to be under tension when the plane 20 is folded onto the plane 3 as shown,'for example, in Figures 1, 2 and 6. The front hinge members 16 are connected to hinge members 22 extending from the frame 23 of a front supplemental ,or emergency plane 24. Springs 25 are connected to the hinge members 16v and 22 and are normally under tension with the plane 24 folded rearwardly onto the folded supplemental plane 20. Spring strips 26 are secured to the plane 20 and have heads 27 so shaped and located that, when the plane 20 is swung rearwardly from normal position relative to its plane3,

these heads 27 will snap into engagement with portions of the frame of plane 3, thereby to hold the plane 20 in extended position and substantially fixed relative to the plane.

Similar springs 28 are connected to the supplemental plane 24 and have heads 29 so shaped and located that, when plane 24 is swung forwardly and downwardly relative to plane 3, these heads 29 willsnapinto engagement with portions of the frame of the plane 3, thereby to hold plane-24 in forwardly extended position. Each of the supplemental planes has its fabric portion loosely connected to its frame so that, when the supple-- mental planes are swung to active positions beyond therfrontand rear edges of the main plane 3 these fabrics will bag and act as parachutesfor retarding the descent of the aeroplane. In this connection attention is directed to Figure 5.

The frame 23 of plane 24 has a finger 30 extending therefrom and so located as to project rearwardly when the supplemental the lever 35;

planes are folded as shown in Figure 6. This finger extends normally into an eye 31 provided at the upper end of a lever 32. A spring 33 mounted on the fulcrum of the lever serves to hold the eye normally in engagement with thelfinger. The other end of the lever is connected by a link 34 to a lever 35 pivotally connected as at 36 to the fuselage at the rear portion of the forward section 1. A restraining lever 37 is pivotally connected as at 38 to the tail portion 4 of the fuselage and a spring 39 is provided for holding this lever 37 normally pressed against a stop 40 carried by the tail portion 4 Thus it will be seen that as long as the tail portion 4 is lockedagainst movement relative to the front portion 1, the restraining lever 37 will be in engagament with lever 35v so that latch lever 32 will en gage and hold the finger 30.

, The forward end of the latch lever 8 is adapted to extend over a lifting finger 41 carried by a rod 42 which is slidably mounted in the front portion 1 of the fuselage near the rear end thereof. A spring 43 is arranged to thrust downwardly against its rod and extending laterally from the'rod are fingers 44. A transverse shaft 45 is journaled in the rear portion of the front section 1 of the fuselage and has a pendulum 46 adjustably connected thereto but adapted to rotate the shaft or, in other words, to hold the shaft stationary when the fuselage is turned therearound. Tripping fingers 47 extend from the shaft 45 at points where they will straddle rod 42 under certain conditions and come against fingers 44. Normally, however, the, parts are arranged as in Figure 8.

A crank shaft 48 is journaled in the front portion 1 of the fuselage near the rear end and has an arm 49 provided with a' laterally extending finger 50, this finger being normally disposed where it can be moved readily onto or away from the forward end portion of the latch lever 8. An arm 51 extends from the shaft 48 and is connected by a rod 52 to a foot lever 53. This foot lever is preferably provided with a ball 54 at its upper end so that the foot of the pilot can slip readily therefrom.

As heretofore pointed out the supplemental or auxiliary planes 20 and 24 are normally folded onto. the upper main plane 3 where they are held with their springs under tension by the latch lever 32 engaging the finger 30 and by the restraining lever 37 engaging- If, while the machine is in flight, it is desired to do some stunt flying, the pilot places his foot on the ball 54 and depresses leverc53 so as thus to swing the finger 50 downwardly onto the end of latch lever 8 as'shown in Figure 8. Consequently, as the aeroplane nose dives, loops, or oe's through other motions causing the pendu um to shift relative to the fuselage, the latch lever 8 will be held in engagement with the of engagement with 32 out of engagement with lug 10 even though rod 42 should be lifted against the action of its spring 43 by the cooperating fingers 47 and 44. If, however, during this stunt flying or at any other time, the machine should get beyond control of the pilot, the lever 53 would be released as soon as the foot of the pilot leaves the ball or knob 54. Consequently finger 50 would not exert a restraining influence on the lever 8. Thus, when the pendulum 46 shifts relative to the fuselage, as during a nose dive, fingers 47 will come against the fingers 44 and lift rod 42 against the action of its spring 43. This will result in the latch lever 8 being lifted out lug 10. As the tail portion of the fuselage would thus be released to swing relative to the front portion 1, the fuselage will promptly fold as shown, for example, in Figure 5, until the tail portion comes against the stops 7 During the first portion of this folding action the restraining lever 37' will of course become disengaged from lever 85 and the spring 33, which is normally under tension, will shift the latch lever finger 30. Consequently all of the springs of the supplemental or emergency plane will be released and cause the planes 24 and 20 to swing forwardly and rearwardly respectively until the heads 29 and 27 snap into engagement with the frame of the plane 3. The loose fabric of the planes 20 and 24 will sag and exert a retarding influence so that the machine will be turned at a greatly diminished speed and will be maintamed substantially balanced so as to be brought out of the nose dive.

If desired a suitable tripping as a lever can be utilized for element, such releasing or tripping the win gs or emergency planes without releasing the tail portion from normal position. Such an arrangement would be so obvious that it is not deemed necessary to show or describe the same in detail.

What is claimed is:

1. An aeroplane including a fuselage having a front portion and a bacl; portion, a hinge connection between said portions, means for holding said portions against relative movement, means for shifting said portions to positions at angles to each other when released, a foldable emergency plane supported above the front portion of the fuselage, means for holding said plane folded, means operated by the release of the front and tail portions of the fuselage for releasing the folded plane, and means for unfolding the plane when released. 7

2. An aeroplane including a fuselage having a front portion and a back portion, a hinge connection between said portions,-means for holding said portions against relative movement, means for shifting said portions to positions at angles to each other when released, an emergency plane including relatively movable sections connected to the front portion -matically shifting -to the front portion,

of the fuselage, means for holding said sectionsvnormally inactive, means operated by the release of the front and tail portions of the fuselage for releasing the sections of the emergency plane, means for automatically shifting said sections when released to active positions, and means for locking the sections in activepositions.

3. In an aeroplane the combination with a fuselage including a front portion and a tail portion, of a hinge connection between said portions, a latch connection between said portions for holding them in substantial aline ment, a pilot controlled lever, means for automatically shifting the lever when relieved of fo'ot pressure, and means freed by the release of the lever for automatically releasing the tail portion of the fuselage for movement to position at an angle to the front portion.

4. In an aeroplane the combination with a fuselage including a front portion and a tail portion, of a hinge connection between said portions, a latch connection between said portions for holding them in substantial-alinement, a pilot controlled lever, means for autothe lever when released, means freed by the release of the lever for automatically releasing the tail portion of the fuselage for movement to position at an angle hinged emergency planes carried by the main means for holding the planes folded relative to said main plane, means for automatically shifting the emergency planes when released, and means operated by the release of the tail portion of the fuselage for releasing the emergency planes.

5-. The combination with an aeroplane fuselage including a front portion and a tail portion hingedly connected, and cooperating means for holding said portions against relative movement, of a pendulum, means operated by the pendulum when the fuselage is brought to a predetermined angle for releasing said holding means and the tail portion, and means for shifting the tail portion, when released, to position at an angle relative to the front portion. 1

6. The combination with an aeroplane fuselage including a front portion and a tail portion hingedly connected, and cooperating means for holding said portions against relative movement, of a pendulum, means operated by the pendulum when the fuselage is brought to a predetermined angle for releasing said holding means and the tail portion, means for shifting the tail portion, when released, to position at an angle relative to the front portion, a pilotcontrolledlever, and means controlled by\the foot lever for holding against actuation t e means for releasing the tail portion.

plane of the aeroplane,

7. An aeroplane including a fuselage, a susa rear emergency plane hingedly connected to the sustaining plane said planes being normally folded one upon the other and upon the sustaining plane, meansfor holding the emergency planes normally folded, said means being shiftable to release the emergency planes, and means for automatically shifting the emergencyplanes relative to the sustaining plane when the emergency planes are released.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed by signature.

STRAWTHER SISSON. 

